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1 of 3The Toyota Sienna XLE is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 making 266 hp and 245 lb-ft of torque.

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2 of 3Fuel economy numbers for the Sienna XLE are 17 in the city and 23 on the highway.

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3 of 3The as-tested price for our tester was just over $43,000.

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ASSOCIATE EDITOR SHERRICE GILSBACH: I won’t pretend to be too cool for minivans -- I have learned to love ’em. There really is no better way to haul a family and all their trappings comfortably.

Minivans on the road today are all very similar with regard to performance and handling in that they offer solid acceleration, but that’s all the credit they’ll get from me. The 2012 Toyota Sienna XLE feels completely floaty with little -- if any -- connection to the road. Whether you’re driving on a pitted gravel road or a brand-new concrete surface -- the ride is likely to feel very similar. Steering is soft, easy and carlike, up front anyway. Controlling the large back end of the Sienna is a different story, and I found myself curb-checking with the back end once or twice while driving it.

I’m lukewarm on the exterior styling of the Sienna, too: The front end is pretty sweet and sculpted with smart-looking lights, but beyond the A-pillars it becomes a giant bubbly mess.

The true beauty of any minivan, though, is the interior -- and the Sienna definitely scored points in this category. Reclining second-row seats with footrests? Count me in!

My favorite interior features of the Sienna include its intricate door-management system. You open or close side doors and/or the cargo door with the push of a button, either on the key fob or inside the cockpit. When toting around a bunch of kids and all their stuff, it really is a welcomed treat to be able to open all these doors at once, drop your stuff into the cargo area, let the kids jump into their seats and then close the doors from the comfort of your heated driver’s seat.

The DVD entertainment system is also a winner. I’m especially fond of the 16.4-inch LCD screen that lets you watch two movies at once -- anything to keep all those back-seat drivers quiet. Additionally, the sunshades that keep the sun out their eyes and the glare off of that screen are a nice touch.

Then there is the easy-to-use technology. In the Sienna, I was able to pair my phone with the Bluetooth very easily. The voice-command system was also a treat to use, as it actually recognized the names of the people I was trying to call and coordinated a route to my requested destination in just a couple of easy steps.